In the meantime, spring is right around the corner, and with the warmer weather come outdoor activities ... including lots of sports! No matter what you choose to play, it's likely that you can take small steps to make your sports a little greener:
Equipment:
Bags - Choose duffel bags and backpacks made from recycled materials over those made from petroleum-derived virgin polyester or PVC, which is less recyclable. For each bag purchased, you could safe the equivalent of 15 two-liter soda bottles from going into landfills.
Balls - If you buy tennis balls (for yourself or your pet), consider purchasing the pressureless variety. Pressureless tennis balls are not only longer lasting than their pressurized counterparts, but they're sold in a recyclable paper box or mesh bag instead of plastic or metal. There are 360 million tennis balls manufactured each year; if an additional 25 percent of these were pressureless, the plastic tubes saved would stretch from Queens, NY, to Wimbledon, England.
Bikes - Choose a bike with a steel frame over an aluminum frame and you'll conserve at least 25 kwh of energy. Steel frames can be made of recycled materials, whereas aluminum frames must be manufactured from new ore, and therefore require more energy to make.
Bats - Since aluminum is the most energy-intensive of all materials made in the U.S., consider using a bat made of renewable wood or even bamboo. You'll help reduce pollution and conserve the energy equivalent of almost a gallon of gasoline per bat. If one in ten Little League players opted for non aluminum bats, the total energy saved could transport 10,000 fans from all over the country to watch the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania.
Water - Water is a must in the sports world - it replenishes the body, and it's important to keep plenty on hand. For many athletes, though, this means cases and cases of plastic water bottles - bottles which eventually end up in landfills. Instead, buy an aluminum water bottle and refill it. If two of three sports fans refilled a water bottle rather than buying a new one each time, it would save about as many plastic bottles as there are people in the U.S.
Borrow or buy used! - Try purchasing used equipment. If 5 percent of the money spent on new sporting goods were directed at used items instead, Americans could save $250 million per year - enough to buy solar panels for 20,000 houses.
Later this week, we'll share ideas for greening up your participation in spring and summer sports!
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Green sports tips courtesy of The Green Book: The everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time.
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